Energy minister dismisses 'hypothetical' question of repealing B.C. tanker ban
Energy Minister Tim Hodgson is brushing off questions over whether the Liberal government will repeal the tanker ban in B.C.'s northern waters, calling them "hypothetical" since Alberta has not formally submitted a pipeline proposal for consideration.
Speaking to reporters Friday afternoon in Montreal, Hodgson addressed Alberta's announcement that it plans to pitch a new bitumen pipeline to the northern coast of B.C. — a move that drew a sharp rebuke from B.C. Premier David Eby.
"What we've said is that if Alberta wants to be a proponent [and] they want to put the money forward to work as a proponent for a pipeline, that's their right to do," Hodgson said.
"When they bring it forward, like every other project, at that point we'll take a look at where they are and we'll evaluate it at that time."
Alberta says it needs to be the proponent for the application because private industry isn't willing to commit the necessary capital for a pipeline like this, given existing federal regulations like the 2019 restrictions on oil tankers in B.C.'s northern waters.
"You can't build a pipeline to the northwest coast and still have a tanker ban," Smith said during a news conference in Calgary on Wednesday afternoon.
When asked whether the Liberal government would repeal the tanker ban, Hodgson said "it's a hypothetical question right now because there is no project before us."
Tanker ban protects B.C. economy, province saysIn an interview with CBC's The House that aired Saturday morning, B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix said the tanker ban is important because it protects the province's coast, which is critical to its economy.
"We're focused on our projects, all of which have proponents, all of which are well along, all of which need support from the federal government," Dix told host Catherine Cullen. "They're not theoretical projects. They're real projects."
Dix also said his province is opposed to "anything that negatively affects the economy of B.C." and the tanker ban is "foundational to economic development on the north coast."
He added that the reason Alberta has not found a proponent for its bitumen pipeline is because there's "no business case."
Eby said earlier this week Alberta's proposal is vague and relies too heavily on government involvement, especially when compared to other projects set to come before the new Major Projects Office.
"To put that tanker ban at threat, it's not just a threat to our pristine coast that so many British Columbians, including myself, value, but it is a direct economic threat to the kind of economy that we're trying to build in the country here," Eby said.
Energy company chair disputes B.C. argumentsAlex Pourbaix is the executive chair of Cenovus Energy, and part of a supervisory panel for Alberta's pipeline application. He told The House he would "disagree entirely" with B.C.'s argument there's no business case.
"I think everybody understands that Canada has some of the largest resources of oil in the world, and the world is continuing to grow in demand for oil. If Canada doesn't supply that oil, it is going to be supplied by other countries," Pourbaix said.
The reason why Alberta is not stepping in, Pourbaix said, is because it wants to get its proposal off the ground and use its relationship with the federal government to make amendments to legislation it believes hinders development.
"The view of the government is that they're going to kick this off, and if we get traction, there will be a point in time at which the Alberta government largely or completely steps out and you see the private sector step in," Pourbaix said.
Smith said earlier this week she made her position on the tanker restrictions "abundantly clear" to Prime Minister Mark Carney and is "more optimistic now than I've ever been" that Ottawa will revise that law.
In addition, the premier said she will be seeking "meaningful and substantive reforms" to the Impact Assessment Act and the proposed federal cap on oil and gas sector emissions.
The Alberta government says it expects to submit its application to the Major Projects Office in the spring of 2026.
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